"That's My Child!"

The Piano Recital

When my oldest child, Cassandra, was just a little girl of only four years, she started piano lessons. Her teacher was a very patient lady who was proud of all her students, so each year she had a Christmas recital to show how much they had progressed. Cassandra was her youngest student and her talent was not yet developed.

During the recital, I remember the misery of enduring the seemingly endless performances of child after child. I could not wait for it all to be over; that is, until it was my daughter's turn.

She went to the stage, walking as if she owned the world, in her green velvet and lace dress. Her hair was precisely curled so that every curl bounced as she walked. She was barely able to get up on the piano bench and had to have help from her teacher. Settling herself at the bench, she glanced at her teacher to gather her courage. She then began to play.

Her first song was "Mary Had a Little Lamb." Everyone knew that song, so they knew immediately when she played a wrong note, which she did...frequently. She would shake her head as if to say, "No, I didn't mean to play that note." But, she courageously continued playing until her very last note was played.

I took joy in every note, good or bad. Her timing was off, but she sure sat straight on the bench. She was no Mozart, but Mozart's hair never looked as cute as my little girl's hair did, with her tightly curled ringlets. To me every note she played was magical and beautiful. To me her performance was perfection and I was extremely proud of her.

I endured the performances of the other students while pretending to enjoy them. However, when it was Cassandra's turn, I was thrilled with every note she played. The other children may have played better, but I did not enjoy them near as much because they were not my children.
 

Not Because She's Perfect, But Because She Is Mine

Cassandra's performance was thrilling to me, not because she was perfect, but because she was my daughter. Because she was mine, she was the star of the program. And I will never forget the moment, the way her hair hung in a mass of curls; the way her legs dangled, swinging back and forth off the front of the bench; how she struggled to get off the bench when she was finished. And most of all, I will always remember how she bowed to the audience after her performance. Her bow was made with great effort and precision.

Because she was my daughter - because she belonged to me - I beamed with pride as she finished her contribution to the program that evening. And as she sat next to the older children just like a big girl, I could hardly hold back tears of joy.

Why was I so thrilled at Cassandra's performance? Why did she touch me so? Because she was my daughter - she belonged to me. Sure, there were other children there who played much better than she, but they were not my children. I enjoyed Cassandra the most, because she was mine!


How God Sees You

With as much enjoyment and pride I had as I observed Cassandra, your heavenly Father beholds you with even greater delight, because you belong to Him. You are His child. He is so proud of you and He enjoys every little thing you do.

How terrible if I had scolded Cassandra for her missed notes and bad timing. I could never do that. Even her missed notes were beautiful to me. Likewise, no matter how you feel you have missed it, your heavenly Father is proud of you. Whenever He wishes to brighten up His day...He looks at you.

In the company of angels, He speaks proudly of His child - you. He beams with pride and declares to all of heaven, "That's My child! That's My child! Doesn't he...doesn't she look just like Me?"


His Passion

Thoughts of you fill His day, and He is motivated, in every action, by His love for you. When you are wounded, it grieves Him deeply. When you forgive, He beams with pride. When you miss it, it is He who is Your cheerleader saying, "Come on, you can do it...keep trying...don't give up!"

He will never throw in the towel or give up hope on you becoming the person He has always dreamed you would be. Why? Because you are His, and He not only sees your potential, but feels it in every fiber of His being.

It is God's desire that we see Him as our heavenly Father. It was His plan, His design and His desire for us to see Him as a good Father who loves us.

He is the one rooting for you and He wants you to know that!

Our enemy, Satan, wants us to recoil from knowing God as Father. The devil knows that when we experience God as our Father, he has lost the power to entangle us in guilt and condemnation. Satan wants us to view God as one who stands over us with judgment, waiting to punish us when we make a mistake. But in actuality, it is Satan who lures us into sin, and it is he who pours on the condemnation when we fall into his trap.

God is the one who stands in your corner calling out to you, His beloved child. He says to you, "My son, My daughter, I love you! You can overcome...I have given you the keys to the kingdom. Defeat your enemy and stand. Stand in My love - stand in My grace - stand in My favor. You will succeed, just don't give up trying."

God wants you to know Him as your loving Father who is for you, not against you - it is His greatest desire. Run into your Father's arms and receive His grace for your life. Fulfill His fondest wish by receiving Him as your Father.
 

by Victoria Boyson
Victoria Boyson, Inc.
www.boyson.org 

Copyright (c) 2003-2004
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